Cardiometabolic risk factors and health behaviors in family caregivers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare components of cardiometabolic risk and health behaviors of 20 family caregivers of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients to those of age, gender, and race/ethnicity-matched controls. A prospective, repeated measures design was used to compare cardiometabolic risk and health behaviors in caregivers and controls at three time-points: pre-transplantation, discharge, and six weeks post-discharge. Measures included components of metabolic syndrome, Reynolds Risk Score, NMR serum lipoprotein particle analyses, and the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II). Mixed-model repeated measure analyses were used. There were no between or within group differences in LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. There was a significant interaction effect between time and role in large VLDL concentration (VLDL-P) (F (2, 76) = 4.36, p = .016), with the trajectory of large VLDL-P increasing over time in caregivers while remaining stable in controls. Within caregivers, VLDL particle size (VLDL-Z) was significantly larger at time-point three compared to time-points one (p = .015) and two (p = .048), and VLDL-Z was significantly larger in caregivers than in controls at time point three (p = .012). HPLP-II scores were lower in caregivers than controls at all time-points (p < .01). These findings suggest that caregiving may have a bigger impact on triglycerides than on other lipids, and it is through this pathway that caregivers may be at increased cardiometabolic risk. More sensitive measurement methods, such as NMR lipoprotein particle analyses, may be able to detect early changes in cardiometabolic risk.

Effects of a social support family caregiver training program on changing blood pressure and lipid levels among elderly at risk of hypertension in a northern Thai community

“…The process should take time because it HDL levels increase or decrease depending on past personal behaviors and factors that may affect HDL levels [ 27 ]. This is consistent with previous studies, which have found that family caregiver groups had higher HDL levels than the control groups [ 39 ].…”

Quality of Life of Caregivers of Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients

“…9, 10 Hypothalamic-pituitary axis dysfunction may be a physiologic correlate of this distress. 11, 12…”

Cardiovascular Disease Incidence and Risk in Family Caregivers of Adults With Chronic Conditions

“…Twenty-seven studies (66%) focused on the caregivers of patients with dementia; 5 studies (12%), on patients with cancer 19,20,48–50 ; and 1 study, on caregivers of patients who underwent stem cell transplantation 51 ; 8 studies had unspecified types of conditions 17,18,21,22,24,52–54 . The sample sizes ranged from 40 to 283 970 and the mean age of caregivers ranged from 46 to 74 years.…”

“…The prevalence of hypertension 21,53 or blood pressure 19,22,37,38 was reported. Components of metabolic syndrome that were assessed in the studies included levels of glucose, insulin, total/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, high-sensitivity CRP, body mass index, waist circumference, abdominal circumference, and blood pressure 39–41,50,51,56,57 …”